


Coming Of Age

by thedreamerswin



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe - Harry Potter Setting, Baby Harry Potter, Dumbledore might be dumb, F/M, Marauders, Marauders Friendship (Harry Potter), Multi, Pre-Canon, Remus Lupin Needs a Hug, Sirius Black & James Potter Friendship, Sirius Black Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-26
Updated: 2020-12-16
Packaged: 2021-03-08 22:14:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,325
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27203672
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thedreamerswin/pseuds/thedreamerswin
Summary: Sirius didn't commit any of the crimes he's been accused of. In the matter of a few hours he lost his friends, his godson, and the life he knew.But what if he was given a trial? What if he begged them to give him Veritaserum once they took him into custody? What would happen to Harry then?
Relationships: Sirius Black/Remus Lupin
Comments: 6
Kudos: 45





	1. Hurricane

**Author's Note:**

> Yes I definitely haven't finished Glory, but I couldn't get this out of my head! Please enjoy.

“James and Lily trusted you! Just to have you sell them out to your family!” Peter screamed, firing off spells with his wand. From an onlooker it would seem those spells were supposed to hurt Sirius, but not a single one came within a few feet of him. 

“Peter we both know what happened here.” Sirius responds, leveling his wand at Peter. “How could you do that to them? We were family, we were brothers.” Heartbreak and rage coat every word out of his mouth. 

A smirk breaks out on Peter’s face. “And now you’ve come to kill me? For outing what you did to them, go to hell Sirius.” With a flick of his wand, Peter’s sliced a finger off and transforming into a rat. In the same moment Peter’s cutting his finger off, Sirius realizes he’s been set up. 

Aurors apparate in around him, making it impossible to chase the rat or transform into a dog. “Auror Sirius Black you are under arrest for assisting in the murders of James and Lily Potter, the attempted murder of Harry Potter, and the murder of Peter Pettigrew.” 

Four stunners to the chest and Sirius loses consciousness before he even hits the ground. 

Hours later, he regains consciousness in the holding cell. Two aurors stand guard, wands trained on him. Not that he could move, with shackles on his ankles and wrists. He only recognizes one of them, Kingsley Schacklebolt who’d been head boy when Sirius was in year three. 

“I consent to use of Veritaserum in my questioning.” Sirius says without missing a beat. Right now, he had to be the most wanted man in Wizarding Britain, and it would be an easy trial to convict him. Sending him to Azkaban meant Harry would end up with Lily’s sister, and Sirius knew he needed to make sure that didn’t happen. 

The other guard rolls his eyes at Sirius. “Eager to sell out your other friends now that you-know-who’s gone?” 

Shaking his head, Sirius repeats exactly what he said earlier. “I consent to use of Veritaserum in my questioning.” He knows the department protocols, but he knows what this looks like. It looks like Sirius had sold out his best friends in exchange for his family. 

Sirius had to convince them to give him Veritaserum. He had to convince the aurors holding him to put him under the potion and question him. 

If they sent him to Azkaban he’d die there. 

In just a few hours he’d lost every joy in his life. Remus wouldn’t trust him, between their fighting and this accusation it’d take months to get him to consider giving Sirius the time of day. James, the brother closer than his own had died. Lily gone with him. Peter had betrayed them all. And if he went to Azkaban he’d lose his godson. 

Sirius wanted to cry right there in the cell, he wanted to sob for the losses he felt tonight. Only days from his twenty-second birthday, and he’d never felt older. Leaning his head back against the brick, he lets out a deep sigh. Blinking quickly, he tries to keep the tears from falling. 

He’s not sure how much time goes by but the door to his cell opens, and his boss Ares Calderon walks in. Taking the seat directly across from him, Ares looks Sirius straight in the eyes. “Here’s how this will go. We’re going to do everything by the book, so your family can’t buy you a lawyer and get you off later on a technicality.” 

Through a mass amount of self-control, Sirius manages to avoid chuckling at that. Like his family would ever help him. 

“I consent to use of Veritaserum in my questioning, I’ll sign whatever you want me to sign but question me with the potion and put it on the record.” He’d do whatever he had to do to get out of there and back to Harry. 

Ares seems surprised by the request but continues onward. “And who would you like us to floo on your behalf?”

 _James._ Sirius wants them to call James, the same person he always called when he was in trouble. He couldn’t call Remus. If he ever saw Peter again, he’d actually commit murder. “Minerva McGonagall.” He answers, thinking of a time she’d told him if he got into trouble, she’d help him. 

He could only hope that held true now. 

“We’ll assemble the Wizengamot for tomorrow morning and get your Veritaserum on record. Anything else you’d like to say?” Had it really only been two days ago he’d been in this room, working with Ares instead of against him? Could everyone really believe Sirius had so easily done this? He desperately wanted to know. 

“I didn’t do this.” Sirius admits, his voice breaking.


	2. Lost In The Light

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let's be honest, McGonagall is way way too smart to believe Sirius did it. So what if she stood up to Dumbledore when he tried to leave Harry at the Dursleys?

Minerva McGonagall didn’t often think Albus Dumbledore was stupid, but as he explained why Harry would be safer with the Dursleys she wanted to smack him. 

“You’re telling me that Sirius Black, the same Sirius Black who lived with the Potters for years during breaks sold out James and Lily? Harry’s own godfather?” She challenges trying to think of any possibility Sirius could give up James and Lily. 

Solemnly, Dumbledore nods. “He was their secret keeper, and Voldemort killed James and Lily, it’s the only logical conclusion.” The deaths of the Potters surprised him, especially with Sirius as the secret keeper. 

“From Sirius and James? Surely you can’t rule out the idea the two did something to trick Voldemort?” She argues trying to think of any possible outcome. Something didn’t add up here, and Minerva needed to put her finger on it. 

Furrowing his brow, Dumbledore looks on with surprise. “What are you implying here Minerva?” To Dumbledore this was cut and dry. A tragedy, but something they clearly knew the answers to. 

For a moment she hesitates, unsure if she should fully challenge Albus on this. “Wouldn’t Sirius be the obvious choice? Everyone knows James and Sirius were closer than rest, by making him secret keeper you make him a target, putting the safety of Harry and Lily at risk.” Maybe she was in denial, but the more she thought about it the less it made sense. 

With a gasp Minerva puts everything together. “They used Peter as secret keeper, Remus would never trust himself.” It all made sense to her. 

Dumbledore’s thick brows raise in surprise. “While your theory seems likely. Peter died tonight, killed by Sirius as well, all they found was a finger.” He points out.

“Albus we know they’re unregistered animagi. Do you honestly believe if Peter sold out his friends he wouldn’t also fake his death and scurry off as an animal?” As much as Peter, James, and Sirius thought they had gotten away with something, she knew the signs of animagi. She remembers when Remus suddenly stopped coming back with as many cuts on his face, and three sleep deprived boys sat next to him. 

Taking the basket from the Dursley’s doorstep, Minerva pulls baby Harry off the porch. “I think we won’t be leaving him here tonight, not when he has a godfather ready to care for him.” She challenges. 

“But the sacrifice Lily made protects him best with blood relatives,” Dumbledore argues. 

Uncharacteristically, Minerva rolls her eyes at him. “He’s safer with people who are kind and will care for him, people with the skills to defend him. These people are not that.” She’d sat outside all day in her feline form, watching the Dursleys. Harry’s childhood here wouldn’t be happy, and he’d have no idea what waited for him. 

As she turned back down the driveway, determined to care for Harry herself until Sirius could be freed a lynx patronus appeared in front of her. “Minerva McGonagall, your presence is requested at the Ministry of Magic in the auror department by prisoner Sirius Black.” The voice of her former student Kingsley spoke. 

Turning to Albus, she looks him straight in the eye. “Harry will stay in my care until this is sorted, but I know my Gryffindors and Sirius Black did not do this. You’ll gather the Wizengamot within the hour.” Before Albus can say anything else, she disapparates on the spot. 

Still tired from the evening’s events, Harry barely stirs as they land in the lobby of the ministry. She’s not surprised to see an auror standing there waiting for her. “Take me to Sirius Black.” She orders, recognizing the auror as one of her former Gryffindors. 

“Do you uh, think it’s wise to bring the baby in there?” 

Counting on the stern hand she’d shown all of her students over the year, she just stares at him for a moment. “I think I know which of my former students are a risk and which aren’t. You’ll show me to Sirius now.” Minerva commands, knowing he won’t cave. 

If the other aurors have complaints about her bringing Harry in with her, they’re not brave enough to say anything. The door opens and she see Sirius, held in chains, tear tracks clearly outlined on his dirty face. She watches the look of relief cross his face as she saunters in. 

“How’s Harry?” Sirius asks desperately. Earlier this evening he’d made the mistake of passing Harry to Hagrid so he could chase after Peter. To see Harry okay, and in the arms of McGonagall gave him a sense of relief he couldn’t explain. 

Minerva’s not surprised when Sirius asks after Harry first. As much as Sirius may pretend he was a selfish young man, she’d witnessed enough over the past ten years to know otherwise. On chilly mornings she’d watched him slip sweaters to Remus when his couldn’t take another stitch, she’d seen him shepherd an exhausted James from the quidditch pitch, she’d seen him comfort a sobbing Lily. “He’s been asleep the entire time. I’ve decided to keep him in my care until we can get you out of here. Anyone who says differently can shove it.” 

Her choice of language comes as a surprise to Sirius. “You don’t think I did it? You don’t need to hear me say it under Veritaserum?” Sirius expected to have to explain it repeatedly. 

“You thought you could trust Peter, you thought you were protecting them.” Minerva’s not asking for him to defend himself, she already knows. 

Softening her voice, she reaches out to place a hand on Sirius’s hand. “Despite the early years of your upbringing, you do not take after your family. You couldn’t hurt a fly, you’d never hurt a Potter.” 

Tears fill Sirius’s eyes. “Thank you,” He says, his voice thick with emotion. 

“I’ve told Dumbledore to assemble the Wizengamot. We’ll put you on the stand, you’ll take Veritaserum, and you’ll be safe at home with Harry by lunch.” She promises. “You didn’t do this and we’ll make sure everyone knows.” 

Sirius nods, still unsure he wouldn’t end up in Azkaban for a crime he didn’t commit. “Has anyone found Remus? Does he know what happened?” 

Shaking her head, Minerva knows they didn’t have answers on the fourth Marauder yet. “You know he’s been working to try and bring the wolves to the light, but we haven’t found him yet. We will.” 

Seeming to understand, Sirius nods. Thinking of the last time he’d spoken with Remus. 

The door opens suddenly as Barty Crouch comes in. “Sirius Black, it’s time for your hearing.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welllll what did you think? Review and let me know what you thought! I'd love to hear from you!


	3. Power Over Me

Someone insists on leading Minerva out of the room, this time no one makes the mistake of offering to take Harry from her grasp. 

Shackles are tightened around Sirius before he’s led out of the room. “Think this will make work awkward on Monday?” He jokes lamely. It’s an attempt to distract himself from the pounding in his chest. Sirius needs this to go well, he needs them to understand he didn’t give up James and Lily.

A cage sits before the court, and in only a matter of moments he finds himself locked inside, chained to the bars. There’s no innocent until proven guilty in this moment. As far as the Wizengamot believed, Sirius did this. 

As chief warlock, Dumbledore had the duty of presiding over these trials. Sirius could only hope that Dumbledore would see through him, but he knew some of the members would have it out for anyone with the last name Black. 

“Auror Sirius Orion Black, you are on trial for assisting Tom Marvolo Riddle, also known as Lord Voldemort in the murders of James Charles Potter, Lily Jane Evans Potter, and assisting in the attempted murder of your godson Harry James Potter. How do you plead?” Dumbledore asks.

Sirius isn’t sure how he finds any sort of volume to his voice. Even sitting here on trial for the murder of his best friend he couldn’t believe James was gone. “Not guilty.” He answers. 

Sounds of displeasure roll through the other members of the court. “Do you consent to questioning under Veritaserum?” 

It’s not even a question for Sirius. “Yes I consent, take my memories, give Veritaserum, do whatever you have to do.” Desperation fills the sound of Sirius’s voice. If he didn’t make it out of here without going to Azkaban it’d be likely he’d die there.

Someone walks up to the cage, a vial in their hand. Sirius’s mouth is forced open, and the potion is poured down his throat. As the potion flows through his system Sirius can feel his mind open up, he can sense that if he started speaking, he wouldn’t be able to stop.

“We’ll start simple, what is your name and date of birth?” 

It’s like a waterfall erupts from his mouth. “Sirius Orion Black, born third of November, 1959, in London, England.” Sirius can’t stop himself from answering. 

“Were you a death eater?” Dumbledore asks, and Sirius frantically shakes his head while a no falls from his lips. 

“Were you the secret keeper for James and Lily Potter?” For a millisecond, Sirius wonders if Dumbledore already knew. If he’d suspected Peter had sold them out without any hesitation. 

“No. Peter was. James and I thought it’d be a brilliant switch.” The words tumble out of Sirius’s mouth, and the gasp from the crowd doesn’t stop him. “We thought I was too obvious of a choice, no one would suspect Peter. If Voldemort or the death eaters managed to kill me it’d be okay because Peter would never sell them out.” He pauses for a sharp intake of breath. “We were supposed to be brothers, marauders. Peter was the safe choice. He promised he’d keep them safe.” 

The heartbreak in Sirius’s voice is real. Only hours ago, he’d sworn his best friends has been safe. He thought they could trust Peter, even as the order tried to pin the spy being him or Remus, he thought he could trust the marauders. 

Dumbledore clears his throat. “And did you kill Peter tonight?” 

Even knowing Peter had sold them out, it would be easy to assume Sirius had murdered him in a rage. “No, we’re animagi, we meant to register but got caught up in the war. Peter screamed lies. Used a sonus charm before he set off an explosion and changed into his rat form and disappeared.” Sirius admits without hesitation. 

At his admittance, Dumbledore leans over and whispers something to a few senior Wizengamot members. Sirius’s eyes trail up to McGonagall’s, but it’s hard to keep the focus off his godchild. He sees the sympathy in McGonagall’s eyes, the way she’s tightly holding on to a sleeping Harry. Even knowing Dumbledore was on his side, it felt unlikely he would make it out of this courtroom. 

The bang of the gavel pulls his focus from the bundle McGonagall’s holding. Dumbledore taps the gavel once more before speaking. “The Wizengamot hereby releases you of any charges in the murders of James and Lily Potter, and the attempted murder of Harry Potter. We also fine you 50 galleons for being an unregistered animagus, and in line with the last will and testament of James and Lily Potter award you custody of Harry James Potter.”

It feels like the world moves in slow motion as Sirius finds the shackles released from his body, and the door to the cage opens up. Flashes accompany his every movement, but it doesn’t stop him from taking the small bundle into his arms. McGonagall tries to stop the press from snapping photos, while Sirius tries to slide out the side of the trial room. 

Someone opens a side door for him, and he’s in shock to find Remus standing there. Bruises from the transformation fresh on his face, but Sirius swears he’s never been so pleased to see his friend. 

“They gave me custody of Harry.” He says to break the silence. 

Remus doesn’t say anything at first, he just pulls Sirius and Harry into a tight hug. “I’ve never been so bloody glad to see you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Review and let me know what you thought!


	4. Achilles Come Down

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I highly recommend reading this chapter while listening to Achilles Come Down by Gang of Youths

Remus hated when Dumbledore sent him on missions. He hated the isolation that came with them, and how every time he had to spend weeks in the middle of nowhere, he felt a little less human. And yes, Remus was aware that as he listed everything he hated about these missions with werewolves just how childish he sounded, but after weeks of sleeping on the ground he missed his bed. 

Even though Remus refused to admit it, he missed Sirius. 

The last time Remus had seen Sirius they’d screamed at each other in their flat, and Remus had stormed out. Someone had to be the spy, and every time Remus talked to Peter it seemed like it could be Sirius. Thinking Sirius could be the spy only made Remus feel worse, which made him irritable, and then they fought. Something just wasn’t adding up, they’d had too many close calls. 

On paper Sirius made sense as the spy, but Remus could never see Sirius selling them all out. The same Sirius who had stormed out of his parents’ home because of their beliefs wouldn’t give away their secrets.

Yet, as Remus laid on the forest floor, surrounded by other werewolves, he wished he was home with Sirius. As he removes a rock from under his back, Remus promises to talk to Sirius when he gets home. The spy in the order had to be someone else. Sirius wouldn’t break his promises to James and the rest of them. Sirius was the most loyal person he knew. His patronus was a dog for fuck’s sake. 

At that thought, Remus’s mind begins to run through possibilities. With daybreak creeping over the top of the trees, he’s just about free to slip away. He’d been here long enough he could slip away without arising suspicion. With the sunlight came the whispers through the pack. 

_Voldemort is dead. Harry Potter lives._

Cautious of false rumors, Remus moves carefully. The last thing any of the Order needs is Remus to fall for a trap and need rescuing. But the leader of the pack Remus is staying with cuts through the whispers of the wolves. “The rumors you’re hearing are true, Lord Voldemort has fallen.” Remus doesn’t hear what the leader says, his ears are buzzing as wolves disapparate around him. 

In the sudden chaos it’s easy for him to disapparate. Landing in his and Sirius’s flat with a thud, he’s shocked to find the place a mess. “Sirius?” He calls out carefully. One of the bookshelves is knocked over, and the books on the other have all fallen to the ground. It looks like there’s been a struggle. “Homenum Revelio.” Remus whispers with a wave of his wand. The spell reveals he’s alone in the flat. 

A look into the bedroom only tells him the mess has spread through the apartment, the signs of a fight or an intruder clearly visible. Remus can feel his heartrate rising at the thought of something happening to Sirius. “James, he would go to James if something had happened.” He’s talking to himself, trying to not panic at the destruction in their flat. 

Apparating to Godric’s Hollow, the sight waiting for him is a punch in the gut. There’s a clear hole in the roof, and the windows to Harry’s nursery are clearly blown out. The breath escapes from Remus’s body as he falls to his knees. 

He doesn’t need to enter the house to know James and Lily are dead. He won’t enter the house, he refuses to see his friends like that. 

“A terrible tragedy what happened here last night,” an older woman says coming up to stand behind him. “To leave their young son all alone like that. A tragedy.” She says softly. Remus doesn’t have the energy to remember if he’d met her before, if this had been one of James and Lily’s neighbors or was just a passerby. 

Nodding, Remus can’t help but feel the relief in his system at the mention of Harry. Their son had lived. “A terrible tragedy, did they say who’s to blame?” Remus asks. He hadn’t thought to look in The Prophet, and just now it occurred to him to use his patronus to reach Sirius. 

“Oh you-know-who,” the woman speaks sadly. “The real rumor is one of their friends gave them up, that Black boy, and then killed poor Peter Pettigrew right there on the spot, blew up something like fifteen muggles. The trial is this morning.” 

Remus prided himself on his intellect. He prided himself on helping his friends study, and coming second in his class only to Lily, but in this moment he felt like an idiot. He’d somehow missed the obvious. 

Peter saying things about Sirius being secretive, coming late to Order meetings and blaming it on his mother, everything made sense to Remus now. Peter had been pitting them against each other, trying to make Sirius and Remus believe they were on opposite sides so they wouldn’t look at him. Peter’s betrayal had cost him James and Lily, but he wouldn’t let it cost him Sirius. 

Getting up from his spot on the ground, Remus can feel the adrenaline. He has to get to the ministry, has to let them know what Peter had done, and he has to do it before they send Sirius to Azkaban. If Sirius went to Azkaban, Remus would lose the love of his life. 

“I have to go,” Remus mumbled hastily. Not caring if he offended the stranger, he apparates as quickly as he can to outside the ministry of magic. At this point he’s lucky he hasn’t splinched himself he’s so unfocused. 

Once he’s gotten himself into the atrium of the ministry, Remus takes off at a run. Someone tells him where the hearing room is, and it only makes Remus move faster. His heart beats loudly in his ears, like a clock counting down to zero. Turning down the maze of hallways he curses himself for not coming back last night, for fighting with Sirius before he’d left. 

Outside of the courtroom Remus sees Arthur Weasley, a newer member of the Order, in the hallway. “Sirius didn’t do it, Peter betrayed us all, we have to stop them from sending Sirius to prison.” He’s frantic at this point, trying to step around Arthur and force himself into the hearing. He’d go under whatever spells they needed, but he wouldn’t let the aurors send Sirius to prison. Going to Azkaban would decimate everything about Sirius that made him Sirius. 

Arthur smiles softly. “I’d been sent to wait for you, they’re going to find him not guilty. They know Pettigrew did it.” At Arthur’s words, Remus lets out the breath he’d been holding, and tears begin falling from his eyes. The relief overpowers him, and he has to place his hands on his knees to steady himself. 

Sirius would leave, Remus had a second chance to fix everything. 

With a gentle clap on the back, Arthur gives Remus a moment before continuing. “Come with me, I have a spot you can wait for him.” Remus doesn’t question anything as Arthur leads him into a smaller room just off the side of the court. 

It feels like ages that Remus stands staring at the door. As it finally opens, Remus relaxes for the first time as he spots Sirius and Harry. 

“They gave me custody of Harry.” Sirius says to break the silence.

Remus doesn’t say anything at first, he just pulls Sirius and Harry into a tight hug. “I’ve never been so bloody glad to see you.”

The two stand holding tightly onto each other, Harry between them for a moment. “I should have realized, I should have known, you’d never betray us. I’m sorry.” Remus apologizes, not just for thinking Sirius could be the spy, but for everything he’d said before leaving. 

“We all fell for it, every single one of us. We thought it could never be Pete.” Sirius speaks softly. Peter had been unassuming, they all believed him to be unfailingly loyal. How could Peter Pettigrew of all people betray them? 

Remus opens his mouth to say something but Sirius cuts him off. “We have a lot to talk about, but can you please just take me home?” Sirius hadn’t slept the night before and wanted desperately to crawl into their bed and fall asleep. The rest could be dealt with tomorrow. 

“Someone came into our flat, we’ll have to redo the wards before we sleep.” It wouldn’t take long, but Remus hated the fact someone had been in their home. 

Most likely it had been aurors, desperate in the hunt for Sirius breaking into the flat, but they couldn’t risk going to sleep without checking. 

“I don’t care, just take me home Rem.” Sirius pleads and in this moment it’s easy for Remus to agree to whatever he wanted. 

Remus holds on to Sirius a little tighter. “Okay we can go home. We’ll go home.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welllll what'd you think? Review and let me know.

**Author's Note:**

> Wellll what do you think? Review and let me know?


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